The association between team behaviors and competitive anxiety among team-handball players: the mediating role of achievement goals.

Team sports athletes may encounter significant stress, leading to competitive anxiety. The anxiety levels can be influenced by team behaviors and achievement goals. This study aims to investigate the relationship between team behaviors (i.e., perceptions of controlling coaching behavior and team cohesion) and competitive anxiety, and to examine the mediation effects of achievement goals (i.e., task-oriented and ego-oriented) on the relationship. A total of 298 team-handball players were involved in the study, ages ranging from 16 to 24 years old (M = 18.44, SD = 3.09). A cross-sectional research design was adopted, and structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze path coefficients and mediating effects. Findings indicated that perceptions of controlling coaching behaviors had significant positive predictions for state and somatic anxiety (ß = 0.22, 0.29) and negative predictions for self-confidence (ß = -0.19). Team cohesion had significant negative predictions for state anxiety (ß = -0.31) and positive predictions for self-confidence (ß = 0.58). In addition, ego-oriented goals play a positive mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (ß = 0.03-0.35), while task-oriented goals play a negative mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (ß = -0.18 - -0.03). In conclusion, team behaviors have a significant relationship with competitive anxiety, with achievement goals playing a mediating role among them. Therefore, to alleviate team sports athletes' competitive anxiety, it is recommended to reduce coach control behaviors, enhance team cohesion, and employ psychological training methods (e.g., mindfulness or meditation) to strengthen athletes' task-oriented goals.

Effects of Plyometric Training on Physical Fitness Attributes in Handball Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of plyometric training on physical fitness attributes in handball players. A systematic literature search across PubMed, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science identified 20 studies with 563 players. Plyometric training showed significant medium-to-large effects on various attributes: countermovement jump with arms (ES = 1.84), countermovement jump (ES = 1.33), squat jump (ES = 1.17), and horizontal jump (ES = 0.83), ≤ 10-m linear sprint time (ES = -1.12), > 10-m linear sprint time (ES = -1.46), repeated sprint ability with change-of-direction time (ES = -1.53), agility (ES = -1.60), maximal strength (ES = 0.52), and force-velocity (muscle power) (ES = 1.13). No significant impact on balance was found. Subgroup analysis indicated more pronounced agility improvements in players ≤ 66.6 kg compared to > 66.6 kg (ES = -1.93 vs. -0.23, p = 0.014). Additionally, greater improvements were observed in linear sprint and repeat sprint ability when comparing training durations of > 8 weeks with those ≤ 8 weeks (ES = -2.30 to -2.89 vs. ES = -0.92 to -0.97). In conclusion, plyometric training effectively improves various physical fitness attributes, including jump performance, linear sprint ability, maximal strength, muscle power and agility.

Social Support and Physical Activity in College and University Students: A Meta-Analysis.

Although physical activity (PA) has a profound impact on health, many college and university students are still physically inactive. There is some evidence to suggest that social support (SS) could impact the PA levels of students, but the internal relationship and specific effects are not very clear. The purpose of this review was to determine the strength of the relationship between SS and PA and examine whether any potential associations differed in terms of age, gender, and region among college and university students. Studies were identified using the following electronic databases: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Sociological Abstracts. Moderator analyses investigating the effects of students' age, gender, and region (nation) were performed. This review included 19 articles. The results showed total SS was significantly associated with PA (r = 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.22, 0.37], p < .001). With respect to different types of support, friend support was more strongly associated with PA than family support. Gender factors had a significant moderating effect on the correlation between SS and PA (QM = 17.433, p < .001). Separate analyses examining the moderating effects of gender (percentage of females) found that the association between SS and PA was stronger with the increase in female percentage. In conclusion, SS is an important factor associated with PA levels and should foster SS within intervention programs according to types of SS and gender differences to increase PA levels among college and university students.

Lower limb electromyographic characteristics and implications of taekwondo roundhouse kick "hit" and "miss" actions.

To compare the muscular characteristics of "hit" and "miss" actions in roundhouse kicks among taekwondo athletes, and explore the similarities, differences, and implications for training, motion tests were conducted on ten taekwondo athletes using Noraxon32 and VICON. The results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in integrated electromyography (EMG) during the initiation and kicking phases between "miss" and "hit" actions. However, during the retraction phase, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in the left rectus femoris, left peroneus longus, right biceps femoris, right semitendinosus, and right tibialis anterior muscles. The tibialis anterior muscle of the swinging leg was activated first in the "hit" action, while the biceps femoris was activated first in the "miss" action. The supporting-side rectus femoris was activated first in the "hit" action, whereas it was the biceps femoris in the "miss" action. In both techniques, the gluteus maximus was the last muscle to be activated. The "miss" action had a longer cycle, and the duration of muscle work was longer than in the "hit" action. During the retraction phase of the front leg roundhouse kick, the muscles worked more than during the kicking phase, with the erector spinae and tibialis anterior being the core force-producing muscles in both techniques, characterized by high EMG values and long activation times. In the "miss" action, the thigh muscles drove the calf muscles, while the "hit" action exhibited the opposite pattern. "Hit" actions had a faster cycle compared to "miss," with greater force generation in "miss." The hip flexors and knee extensors of the kicking leg were the core force-producing muscles during the kicking process, determining the effectiveness and completion of the action.